Police: Active shooter at Maryland newspaper building

File photo: Pixabay/Diego Parra

June 28 (UPI) — Law enforcement officers responded Thursday afternoon to an active shooter at an Annapolis, Md., newspaper office building, Anne Arundel County Police said.

The shooting happened in the building where the Capital Gazette is located, The Baltimore Sun, which owns the newspaper, reported.

Phil Davis, a courts and crime reporter at the Gazette, told the Sun multiple people had been shot. Anne Arundel police Lt. Ryan Frashure confirmed the injuries.

“I can’t give the extent of those injuries … at this point,” he said.

Frashure would not confirm how many casualties there were or whether a suspect was in custody.

The director of media relations at University of Maryland Medical Center told CNN the hospital received one patient from the shooting. The patient’s condition was unknown.

“We’re doing everything we can to get people out safe … and minimize casualties,” Frashure told reporters outside the building.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the scene.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he was “devastated” to learn of the shooting.

“I am in contact with County Executive Steve Schuh and [Maryland State Police] is on the scene assisting [the Anne Arundel County Police],” he tweeted. “Please, heed all warnings and stay away from the area. Praying for those at the scene and for our community.”

A law enforcement official told CNN the shooting happened in the Gazette’s newsroom. Davis said he was in the newsroom when the gunman opened fire and shared his observations on Twitter. He said some people were dead.

“Gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees. Can’t say much more and don’t want to declare anyone dead, but it’s bad,” he tweeted.

“There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you’re under your desk and then hear the gunman reload,” he added.

1 COMMENT

  1. With all the hatred the United States President has generated against the free press and the 1st amendment, my first personal thought at this unfortunate juncture is ‘one has to wonder’..

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